Digitisation of agriculture: technological developments and perspectives. TAB-Fokus

Several innovative agricultural technologies that are based essentially on digital data processing are already ready for practical application or at an advanced stage of development. These technologies include satellite-controlled agricultural machinery, sensor technologies and application techniques with variable dosing of fertilisers and plant protection products, or robots for milking, feeding and manure removal processes. Digital stand-alone applications of this kind collect large amounts of process data, thus forming the basis for a far-reaching digitisation of agricultural production. Further progress made in digital agricultural technologies might involve fundamental changes in agricultural processes, as can be expected, for example, in the field of arable farming with certain robotic concepts. By means of digitisation, the complex agricultural business processes, which are influenced by many imponderable factors, are to be made both more efficient and more sustainable. As a consequence, environmental impacts are to be mitigated. At the same time, digital agricultural technologies alone appear to be not sufficient, or in some cases not suitable, to address some major environmental and animal welfare issues in agricultural production.